WO2008038309A1

WO2008038309A1 - Tap group

Info

Publication number: WO2008038309A1
Application number: PCT/IT2006/000683
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alberto Cristina
Original assignee: Crs S.P.A.
Priority date: 2006-09-26
Filing date: 2006-09-26
Publication date: 2008-04-03

Abstract

A tap group (4) comprising a built-in body (8), suitable for being at least partly built in an opening (12) of a support wall (16), and a covering plate (36) for covering the opening (12). The covering plate (36) is associated to the built-in body (8) and is provided with a plurality of sanitary accessories (64) that are supported by the covering plate (36) without requiring further connections to the support wall (16).

Description

DESCRIPTION "Tap group"

[0001] The present invention relates to a tap group, in particular a tap group provided with accessories of various types.

[0002] As known, in taps and fittings it is usual to fit taps and tap pipes with a series of accessories such as towel rails, soap dishes, shelves, glasses for containing for example toothbrushes, dispensers of various types and the like.

[0003] Such accessories are usually arranged in the proximity of the tap group so as to be easily accessible by a user positioned in front of the tap. [0004] In the prior art, the accessories are constrained to the support wall of the tap group, making fixing holes on the wall, so as to install the accessories in vertical position, constraining them through screws or blocks inserted into the wall itself. [0005] However, such installation is difficult to make and moreover, it does not allow easy change of the arrangement or of the number of the accessories themselves at a later time. Moreover, the operation for drilling the wall is not easy especially if it is necessary to drill any tiles that cover the wall, with the risk of having to repeat the drilling operation several times and of damaging the tiles.

[0006] The problem of the present invention is to provide a tap group which should solve the disadvantages mentioned with reference to the prior art . [0007] Such disadvantages and limits are solved by a tap group in accordance with claim 1.

[0008] Other embodiments of the tap group according to the invention are described in the subsequent claims.

[0009] Further features and the advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following description of preferred non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein :

[0010] figure 1 shows a perspective view of a tap group according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0011] figure 2 shows a perspective view of the tap group of figure 1, from the side of arrow II of figure 1;

[0012] figure 3 shows a perspective exploded view of a tap group according to a further embodiment of the present invention; [0013] figure 4 shows a perspective exploded view of the tap group of figure 3, provided with sanitary fixture;

[0014] figure 5 shows a perspective exploded view of a tap group according to a further embodiment of the present invention; [0015] figure 6 shows a perspective exploded view of the tap group of figure 5, provided with sanitary fixtures. [0016] Elements or parts of elements in common between the embodiments described below are referred to with the same reference numerals. [0017] With reference to the above figures, reference numeral 4 globally denotes a tap group.

[0018] The tap group 4 comprises a built-in body 8, suitable for being at least partly built in an opening 12 of a support wall 16. [0019] The ^" built-in body 8 typically has the shape of a parallelepiped and usually comprises water inlet means 20 for receiving flow of liquid to be dispensed and at least one flow adjustment member 24, such as a tap, a mixer and the like. [0020] Preferably, after installation the built-in body 8 is fully inserted into opening 12 so as to be aligned or flush with the support wall 16.

[0021] After the embedding into opening 12, control portions 28 of the water inlet means 20 or of the flow adjustment member 24 preferably project from the built-in body 8 through opening 12 , suitable for being connected to control levers or knobs 32 arranged opposite opening 12. Such control portions 28 may be ring nuts, grooved shafts, buttons and the like. [0022] The support wall 16 may be a vertical wall on which a washbasin, a bath, a shower stall and the like are rested; or it may be a panel in turn constrained to any wall.

[0023] The tap group 4 advantageously comprises a covering plate 36 associated to opening 12, so as to cover opening 12 as well as the built-in body 8.

[0024] The covering plate 36 preferably has a greater planar extension than that of the opening and, at the associable control portions 28, it comprises through holes 40, typically circular, suitable for allowing the passage of the control portions 28 after fixing the plate itself. Said through holes 40 are also suitable for allowing the passage of a tap pipe 42 in fluid connection with water inlet means 20 so as to dispense a fluid flow. [0025] The covering plate 36 comprises first constraining means 44 to the built-in body 8, suitable for locking plate 36 relative to the built-in body 8. Preferably, the first constraining means 44 comprise threaded connecting means 48 that screw into corresponding holes 52 arranged frontally on the built-in body 8. The first constraining means 44 may also comprise bolts, elastic pins, snap-wise connecting means like labs or tongues of various types suitable for locking into special seats arranged on the built-in body 8 or on the inner walls of the wall that cover opening 12. [0026] The • covering plate 36 may be provided with double- faced adhesive strips arranged on the plate portion 36 that faces the built-in body 8, not concerned by opening 12, but intended for abutting on the support wall 16. [0027] Advantageously, the covering plate 36 comprises second constraining means 60 of at least one sanitary fixture 64 associated to said plate 36.

[0028] The second constraining means 60 preferably comprise second threaded connecting means 68 passing through fixing holes 72 arranged on plate 36.

[0029] Preferably, the second constraining means 60 comprise flared head screws and the fixing holes 72 on the covering plate 36 exhibit a flaring for seating the flared heads arranged on the side of the covering plate 36 that directly faces the built-in body 8.

[0030] Accessories 64 may comprise towel rails, soap dishes, shelves, glasses for containing for example toothbrushes and toothpastes, dispensers of various types and the like. Preferably, accessories 64 comprise a hooking projection 80 that projects from accessories 64 and at a free end 84 thereof, that is, opposite accessory 64, exhibits a threaded hole for seating the second threaded connecting means 68. [0031] The hooking projection 80, opposite the free end 84 may be firmly constrained to accessory 64, or it may be hinged thereto, so as to allow an orientation of accessory 64 even following the installation thereof on the covering plate 36. [0032] Advantageously, accessories 64 and the second constraining means 60 are mechanically separate from the support wall 16; in other words, accessories 64 and the second constraining means are directly fixed on the covering plate 36 without interacting directly with the support wall 16 that therefore requires no further mounting holes .

[0033] In yet other words, the covering plate 36 carries accessories 64 that exhibit no direct constraint with the support wall 16. [0034] The assembly of a tap group according to the invention shall now be described.

[0035] The built-in body 8 is first installed into opening 12 of the support wall 16, constraining the built-in body 8 relative to the wall itself. [0036] The covering plate 36 is then applied to cover opening 12 as well as the built-in body 8.

[0037] The covering plate 36 comprises accessories 64 constrained thereto by the second constraining means 60. For example, flared head screws are used, which are inserted from the end of the flaring of the fixing holes 72 so as to not be visible once the installation is completed.

[0038] The covering plate 36 is positioned on opening 12 and the first constraining means 44 are hooked tightening plate 36 on the built-in body 8. If gluing is envisaged, for example by the double-faced adhesive strips 56, a pressure action is exerted on plate 36 against the support wall 16, at the strips.

[0039] As can be appreciated from the above description, the tap group according to the invention allows overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0040] In particular, it is possible to mount a plurality of accessories on the same plate without having to make multiple ^'drillings on the support wall. [0041] In this way, additional holes are not required on the support wall for adding a new sanitary accessory; moreover, no drilling operation is required on any tiles covering the wall itself.

[0042] Moreover, the accessories are easily removed from the plate and can be not only replaced but even exchanged using the same fixing holes of the plate.

[0043] Even the removal of an accessory may be carried out without leaving unaesthetic holes on the support wall . [0044] The > installation operation is especially simple . In fact, the only hole to make in the support wall is the opening for allowing the embedding of the tap group. In any case, such opening is provided for the type of built- in installation of the tap group.

[0045] Advantageously, the number of holes to make in the support wall is unrelated to the number of accessories installed on the covering plate.

[0046] A man skilled in the art may make several changes and adjustments to the tap group described above in order to meet specific and incidental needs, all falling within the scope of protection defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. Tap group (4) comprising a built-in body (8) , suitable for being at least partly built in an opening (12) of a support wall (16) , and a covering plate (36) associated to said opening (12) , characterised in that the covering plate (36) comprises first constraining means (44) to the built-in body (8) and comprises second constraining means

(60) of at least one sanitary accessory (64) associated to said plate (36) , the accessories (64) and the second constraining means (60) being supported by the covering plate (36) .

2. Tap group (4) according to claim 1, wherein the built-in body (8) comprises water inlet means (20) for receiving a flow of liquid to be dispensed from the water mains and at least one flow adjustment member (24) .

3. Tap group (4) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein after installation, the built-in body (8) is fully inserted into the opening (12) so as to be aligned or flush with the support wall (16) .

4. Tap group (4) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein in an embedded configuration into the opening (12) , control portions (28) of the water inlet means (20) or of the flow adjustment member (24) project from the built-in body (8) through the opening (12) , suitable for being connected to control levers or knobs (32) arranged opposite the opening (12) .

5. Tap group (4) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the covering plate (36) preferably has greater planar extension than that of the opening.

6. Tap group (4) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the covering plate (36) , at the associable control portions

(28) , exhibits through holes (40) suitable for allowing the passage of the control portions (28) after fixing the plate itself.

7. Tap group (4) according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said through holes (40) is suitable for allowing the passage of a tap pipe (42) in fluid connection with the water inlet means (20) so as to dispense a fluid flow.

8. Tap group (4) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the covering plate (36) comprises first constraining means (44) to the built-in body (8) , suitable for locking the covering plate (36) relative to the built-in body (8) .

9. Tap group (4) according to claim 8, wherein the first constraining means (44) comprise threaded connecting means (48) that screw into corresponding holes (52) arranged frontally on the built-in body (8) .

10. Tap group (4) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the first constraining means (44) comprise bolts, elastic pins or snap-wise connecting means suitable for locking into special seats arranged on the built-in body (8) or on the opening (12) .

11. Tap group (4) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the covering plate (36) is provided with two-faced adhesive tapes (56) arranged on the plate portion (36) that faces the built-in body (8) , not concerned by the opening (12) .

12. Tap group (4) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the second constraining means (60) comprise second threaded connecting means (68) passing through fixing holes (72) arranged on the covering plate (36) .

13. Tap group (4) according to claim 12, wherein the second constraining means (60) comprise flared head screws and the fixing holes (72) on the covering plate (36) exhibit a flaring for seating the flared heads arranged on the side of the covering plate (36) that faces the built-in body (8) .

14. Tap group (4) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the accessories (64) comprise a hooking projection (80) that projects from the accessories (64) and that at a free end (84) thereof, opposite the accessory (64) , exhibits a threaded hole suitable for seating the second threaded connecting means (68) .

15. Tap group (4) according to claim 14, wherein hooking projection (80) , opposite the free end (84) is hinged to the accessory (64) so as to allow an orientation of the accessory (64) even following the installation thereof on the covering plate (36) .